The Cooper Cast Podcast

Welcome back to The Cooper Cast Podcast, the FUN podcast for the MINI motoring community, with host Dale Blankenship and his faithful sidekick Producer Kodi, who remains fully committed to quality control… as long as treats are involved.

This episode kicks off with the unveiling of a new limited edition MINI Cooper. Dale walks through what makes this one special, what MINI got right (and maybe what they didn’t), and why limited editions continue to spark strong reactions from enthusiasts on both sides of the fence.

Next...

Episode 121 of the Cooper Cast podcast with host Dale Blankenship and Producer Kodi. For some weird reason, Dale is the voice of reason, and it's unfamiliar territory. MTTS isn't what a lot of people were looking for. But it's far from the end of the world. MTTS has had several versions over the 20 years of MTTS, and this really isn't as bad as all the doom and gloomers are whining about. Tune in and listen to Dale's spin on MTTS 2026!

MINI Tale The States 2026

https://www.minitakesthestates.com/

Welcome to our Breaking News segment. Host Dale Blankenship, along with a sleeping Producer Kodi, tells us about a new name at the head of MINI USA. Sean Green. A 30+ year BMW/MINI employee. Started turning wrenches at a dealership and was previously with MINI China. Mike Peyton is gone, and Sean Green officially takes over officially May 1, 2026. 

Good luck Sean, we're here to help. Just let up, PLEASE!!!!

Meet Sean Green:

https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/usa/article/detail/T0455755EN_US/bmw-group-announces-new-executive-appointment-for-mini-in-americas-region 

 Welcome back to The Cooper Cast Podcast, with host Dale Blankenship and fur-covered, Milk Bone–chewing Producer Kodi, who continues to contribute commentary between snack breaks.

This week, we kick things off with a quick but important conversation about an announcement concerning MINI Takes The States… maybe. Is it concrete? Is it speculation? Is it MINI being MINI? Dale breaks down what we know, what we don’t, and why patience might still be required from the MINI faithful.

Next, we take a thoughtful look at something that oc...

 Welcome back to The Cooper Cast Podcast, with host Dale Blankenship and Producer Kodi, who slept through the entire episode, but will likely still want a treat. 

This episode starts with a look at MINI’s decision to discontinue the diesel power plant, marking the end of an era for MINI’s evolving lineup. From there, we talk about something that many drivers will be happy to hear—the return of knobs, buttons, and switches to dashboards. After years of everything moving to touchscreens, it seems the tide may...

 Welcome back to The Cooper Cast Podcast, with host Dale Blankenship and the ever-intrepid Producer Kodi, who continues to earn speaking parts and snack privileges in equal measure.

This episode kicks off with some exciting news: MINI is returning to professional rally racing—and in a big way.Dale talks about what’s happening, why it matters, and why seeing MINI back where it made so much of its reputation is great news for the brand and the community alike.

Then we roll into something a lit...

 It’s another episode of The Cooper Cast Podcast with host Dale Blankenship and Producer Kodi, who once absent this week at Cooper Cast HQ. Very likely asleep near a heater duct somewhere. 

We kick things off with a look across the Pacific at a new, dark-themed Countryman headed exclusively to the Japanese market—and it comes with a twist nobody saw coming. Dale breaks down what makes this special edition interesting, why certain markets get the fun toys, and what it says about MINI’s global strategy.

Then w...

Welcome back to The Cooper Cast Podcast, with host Dale Blankenship and Producer Kodi, who once again makes a surprise speaking engagement and clearly feels very comfortable sharing his thoughts these days.

This episode kicks off with a deep dive into MINIs On The Dragon, quite possibly the longest continually running MINI Cooper event in the United States. Registration is well underway, and one stat really stands out—first-timers already make up nearly one-third of registered MINIacs just two weeks in. Dale talks about what th...

Welcome back to The Cooper Cast Podcast, with host Dale Blankenship and his ever-faithful producer Kodi—faithful, of course, as long as the treat supply holds out.

This episode kicks off with a deep dive into a Road & Track review of the new MINI Cooper JCW hatchback. And when Road & Track weighs in, it’s worth paying attention—they’ve reviewed more performance cars than most of us will ever drive. To say they weren’t impressed would be an understatement, and Dale breaks down what they said, what it means...

🎙️ 2nd Anniversary Episode of The Cooper Cast Podcast

Welcome to a milestone episode of The Cooper Cast Podcast as host Dale Blankenship and the ever-present Producer Kodi Monster celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of the show — and yes, Kodi earns yet another speaking encounter, making this a truly historic broadcast at Cooper Cast HQ.

Dale kicks things off by sharing some fascinating podcast stats, both from the industry as a whole and from The Cooper Cast specifically. And the global reach is honestl...

 Welcome back to The Cooper Cast Podcast, with host Dale Blankenship and Producer Kodi, who once again earns himself a few speaking parts and is clearly becoming far too comfortable behind the mic.

This episode starts with a look at some interesting MINI sales numbers from 2025, but before we get there, we take a quick international detour. First stop: India, where the MINI Convertible is doing surprisingly well. Hint: when supply is limited and demand is strong, fun cars still find buyers.

Next, we check i...

 Welcome back to The Cooper Cast Podcast, with host Dale Blankenship and Producer Kodi, who not only showed up for this episode but actually grabbed a few speaking parts—a rare and historic moment at Cooper Cast HQ.

This time around, Dale and Kodi take a random stroll through the MINI Facebook groups, and as usual, the experience covers the full spectrum. Some posts are perfectly normal, helpful, and familiar… while others drift straight into the off-the-wall category. It’s a reminder that MINI groups can be informa...

Welcome back to The Cooper Cast Podcast, broadcasting once again from Cooper Cast HQ with host Dale Blankenship and an ailing—but still on duty—Producer Kodi, proving that the show must go on… preferably with snacks and naps.

In this episode, we start by talking through some early plans for 2026 for the Hampton Roads club MINI group. These are ideas that are working, scaling well, and might be worth borrowing for other growing MINI clubs looking to strengthen participation, keep members engaged, and build something sustainable instea...

Welcome back to The Cooper Cast Podcast, with host Dale Blankenship and an under-the-weather (but still supervising) Producer Kodi, who bravely powered through despite feeling a little rough.

We kick things off with a look at slowing EV sales and what that means for MINI, including a significant production shift involving the Countryman EV. Dale shares perspective on what’s happening in the broader market, why automakers are adjusting plans, and how this could impact MINI owners and future buyers alike.

Next up is the al...

Welcome back to The Cooper Cast Podcast, with host Dale Blankenship and his ever-watchful sidekick, Kodi Monster, holding down the studio and the snack budget.

This episode starts where so many MINI conversations begin these days: Facebook groups. Dale shares some of the things we regularly see floating around in MINI groups — good advice, questionable advice, repeated myths, and the occasional head-scratcher that reminds us why context and experience still matter.

From there, we shift into something a little more fun and far less controversial: a ne...